WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Tizer]

`Ancient Tap O' Noth hillfort in Aberdeenshire one of 'largest ever'' LINK

[Stanley]

That's a good link to an interesting report Tiz. My problem is that we are so sure they were defensive structures, true in some cases but there is a lot of evidence that suggests equally that they were trading settlements. There must have been some good resource to support so many people. Question is, could it all have been from raiding parties?
What grabbed me was THIS BBC report of extreme measures being taken by NHS managers to gag staff who go public about the deficiencies in the system, particularly in the availability of PPE. There is also the associated problem of the way BAME staff, even senior consultants, are disadvantaged and in consequence facing higher infection rates. We keep hearing that whistle-blowers are to be protected but it isn't happening. MD in Private Eye has been very vocal about this and other related matters including the enormous legal fees paid by Health Trusts to defend themselves when what they should be doing as admitting error. There is a deep-seated defensive mechanism at work in much NHS management and it's high time serious efforts were made to stop this. Health Ministers giving lip service to the principle and then ignoring well documented examples of it don't cut the mustard.

[Tizer]

I hadn't hear of Piggly Wiggly before! LINK

[Tripps]

I had - and have a photo of a branch in my collection.

pigglywiggly.jpg

My velcro memory takes me to this scene in the film
Oh Brother Where Art Thou

"including that Piggly Wiggly you knocked over in Yazoo"

If Carlsburg made films. . . .

[Stanley]

I heard (rather than listened to) another discussion yesterday about the problems sport is facing, particularly football. As I'm sure you know, I was left out when the sports genes were issued so it doesn't really affect me but it did bring to mind something that happened many years ago when I was in Minnesota at Carleton College. I was having a conversation with Martha and Roger about the importance of the College Football Team. In case you haven't come across it it is a supercharged environment and the 'jocks' who made up the team were local heroes. Many had gained their places at the college on their qualifications as footballers rather than any academic prowess. Motivation was seen as a mainstay of training, the coaches regularly whipped their jocks into a frenzy prior to a game, 'killer instinct' was all.
Roger told me about one coach who regularly indulged in this and one day as he was psyching his men up he succeeded so well they went berserk and attacked each other hospitalising the coach and several team members. I don't know why but that pleased me no end. I hate the macho culture and thought "Served him right".
I often think of this when I read accounts of army culture and things like Deepcut Barracks. I came across bad officers and NCOs in my army service but never anything on that scale. I don't think we were any worse soldiers for lack of bullying.

[Tizer]

I had - and have a photo of a branch in my collection.

I assume from the palm trees that it's not in Cambridge?

[Tripps]

That's right. Having inherited an extra helping of the 'curiosity gene' I noticed it in Oh Brother and made enquiries of google. I vaguely remember checking out Yazoo too, as there was some connection with the sort of music I like, but I've forgotten what that was now. Strange thing memory.

The origin of the name is said to be unclear. The founder said it was so people would say - what does that mean? and talk about it and remember it. Looks like he was right, but I don't think he had us in mind.

[Stanley]

What grabbed me is the fact that son-in law Mick is on one of his caring jobs but this one is slightly complicated by the fact that as his client has Covid. Mick is locked down with him for a fortnight. One way of guaranteeing employment! It'll be interesting to see if Mick has gained an immunity.....

[Stanley]

For personal reasons I am getting a glimpse of the dreadful effects of Covid. What it has taught me is that we would do well to be less introspective about the effects on us and more alert to what we can do to ease the lot of others. Spreading the pain if you will. This is going to get more serious and the sooner we start helping the better!
The bottom line is that some are far worse off than us.....

[Stanley]

I keep forgetting to note THIS Report about David Hockney protesting because a letter wasn't published. Of course he has immediately been savaged for saying that he suspects tobacco is a prophylactic but is that fair? Sue raised the matter in her diary from France. I was shot down when I suggested it. Wouldn't it be a laugh if there was something in it! Problem is of course that if there was any evidence it would be suppressed.

[PanBiker]

Something that may impact the local forest enormously. Rolls Royce to cut 9,000 jobs in an effort to survive the Covid 19 crisis.

"There was also a clear hint this morning that some factories may close - the company said it would review its future manufacturing footprint."

Coronavirus: Rolls-Royce to cut 9,000 jobs amid virus crisis

[plaques]

Its hard to predict how RR at Barlick will be affected. The older fan blades were heavily process orientated with lots of nasty chemical that nobody wants in their back yard (Ghyll Brow) The latest blades are more machine oriented and can be moved anywhere in or out of the country with a minimum of disruption. If the old fans requirements can be supplied from spares or ex-engine strip downs Ghyll Brow could go. On the other hand if there is no strategic content in the new blades that can't be released out of the RR manufacturing site then Bankfield could be absorbed into some other site. Which ever way you look at it its all very worrying.

[Stanley]

You are both right I think. This is a worrying development for Barlick. I have often said that Rolls has already lasted longer than the main of textile manufacturing and nothing lasts forever. On a wider front, Rolls are not alone, I heard the CEO of Churchill at Derby who also make blades saying very sensible things yesterday. In a nutshell they have examined the prospects, decided that it will be 4 to 5 years before there is any recovery in the aircraft market and made many furloughed workers redundant because by doing that they can clear the decks and institute a new strategy for the mid term future. This is only one example of how things are going to change.
I don't think we have seen anything yet. The next 12 months are going to be a bloodbath and I think the government knows it. Definitely tin hat time.

[Stanley]

I don't often derive pleasure from other people's troubles but I have to confess that the current internal war in the Barclay family which is in the High Court and could be netting my learned friends over £1million in fees. (LINK) I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. Anyone who has followed the family's history will understand why.

[PanBiker]

On the Rolls topic again, a commentator last night said that we shouldn't forget hat each worker in the Rolls factories represents and uses on average three others in the supply chain. So 9,000 in Rolls could actually turn into 36,000 in total in the engineering and aerospace sector. Regardless of how Barlick fares the knock on across the country will be huge.

[Bodger]

Stanley, i bet the original owners are turning in their graves at this expense ?
https://themanc.com/news/this-historic- ... RzL0C6nYyo

[Tizer]

More dam failures, this time in Michigan, USA...
`Michigan dam failures trigger historic and 'catastrophic' flooding' LINK
`The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) revoked the Edenville Dam’s license for power generation in 2018 after numerous violations and longstanding concerns that the dam could not withstand a significant flood. The commission notified the dam's previous owner as far back as 1999 that it needed to increase capacity the dam's spillways, according to Detroit News.

`According to Wolff, there are thousands of old and or poorly maintained dams in the US. "American Society of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) estimates more than 2,170 at-risk dams in the high hazard category. High hazard refers to consequences that include potential loss of life. So there are similar situations all around the US, and it is just a matter of when and where there is a very rare, but very large storm event that leads to overtopping and destructive erosion, or other types of failure,” Wolff said. Wolff stressed that the public needs to be aware of where such conditions exist, and importantly in the absence of repair, mapping of what areas would flood in the event of a breach...'.

Regarding the present breach: `Concerns among residents and environmentalists grew about the potential of widespread toxic contamination after floodwaters mixed with containment ponds at the vast Dow chemical plant.'

[Whyperion]

On the Rolls topic again, a commentator last night said that we shouldn't forget hat each worker in the Rolls factories represents and uses on average three others in the supply chain. So 9,000 in Rolls could actually turn into 36,000 in total in the engineering and aerospace sector. Regardless of how Barlick fares the knock on across the country will be huge.

Conservative Govt made a little bit of money Selling RR in the 1980s, somehow the long term consequences is that far more will have to be spent tidying the loss of substantial markets for RR products as things appear to stand. The return of the industrial development grants looms ?

[Whyperion]

Stanley, i bet the original owners are turning in their graves at this expense ?
https://themanc.com/news/this-historic- ... RzL0C6nYyo

What i Find more interesting is the £120m transport interchange . How can you spend £120m building a BUS station ( though the Tram from Didsbury might terminate there- the railway station is up the hill and buses really need to serve bits of the town centre better, the direct route to manchester generally runs from the road overbridge accessed by stairs or a slope. The mill buildings will need money if they are going to be residential and some too for the planned commerce areas.

[Stanley]

Lovely pic of the town centre Bodge. Yes, they would have difficulty understanding but they were business men and would be able to understand a good financial plan.
Tiz, it was the bit about Dow's contaminated ponds that worried me!
Rolls, very true Ian. Like the old textile industry, Rolls has always made good and extensive use of a thriving local support industry. Think blades and Lucas fuel systems etc. I heard an industry expert yesterday flagging up the collateral damage. He said that at the moment 50,000 aircraft are mothballed and 5,000 of them would probably never fly again. Figures like that tell the story and then there are the other peripheral industries affected. Travel. airports and third runway contractors....
I can see a blood bath coming, not a bounce back.

[Tizer]

Companies like Boeing will be squealing about having to ditch aircraft but the truth is that they were already having to do it because of their safety problems and the shift from monster aircraft to smaller ones. And the need to shift to low-carbon propulsion aircraft. All things they should have been doing but were behind the curve.

[Tripps]

This afternoon in the garden, I saw a magpie being mobbed by a pair of pigeons. Never saw that before. Then I read this on the local Stargoose and Hanglands blog. He could be right - very observant.

There has been an increase in the number of magpies seen around houses recently and I suspect it may be because of less road kill being available to them since there's been less traffic on our roads.

[Stanley]

The law of unintended consequences David.
Oversleeping but as usual I shall ignore it. (My oversleep is an early start for most of course.... )

[Stanley]

I'm listening to Kirstie Alsop (the house finding programme lady) on R4 talking about the benefits of doing things with your hands. She compares it with meditation in that you get so absorbed in what you are doing that you forget all your cares and hang ups and work almost on a spiritual plane. Couldn't agree with her more. That's exactly my experience in the shed. She was recommending a craft or hobby for anyone isolated in lockdown. From her mouth to God's ear!

[Tizer]

This afternoon in the garden, I saw a magpie being mobbed by a pair of pigeons. Never saw that before. Then I read this on the local Stargoose and Hanglands blog. He could be right - very observant.
There has been an increase in the number of magpies seen around houses recently and I suspect it may be because of less road kill being available to them since there's been less traffic on our roads.

The seagulls here are missing the usual food waste thrown out of cars and dropped by others. They're on the playing fields pecking at the ground and one of them looked at me and said "It's alright for you, mate, we're reduced to eating worms!"